Australia is supporting Medicines Development for Global Health (MDGH) to advance the development and delivery of two medicines, moxidectin and dovramilast, for the treatment of some of the world’s most challenging, disfiguring and stigmatising infectious diseases. Scabies, lymphatic filariasis and leprosy type 2 reaction negatively impact the lives of hundreds of millions of people globally and have some of the highest reported prevalence rates in the Indo-Pacific.
Activities being undertaken include a Phase 2 clinical trial of dovramilast for leprosy type 2 reaction in Indonesia and the Philippines, and a Phase 3 clinical trial for moxidectin for the treatment of lymphatic filariasis. Moxidectin stability studies will also be conducted with the goal of increasing usability and decreasing wastage. In conjunction with these activities, Indigenous communities in Australia will be consulted to determine if moxidectin may be a useful intervention in treating known health issues.
This work will be supported by Gender Equality, Disability Equity and Social Inclusion strategies to strengthen the equitable participation of people of all genders, abilities and social groups. Longer term, MDGH aims to achieve US FDA marketing authorisation for dovramilast for leprosy type 2 reaction and to generate data to support WHO policy recommendation on the use of moxidectin in lymphatic filariasis elimination programs.
